


The Thaw (Alternate)

by luvsanime02



Series: Delete Winter [24]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Gen, Mostly Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-18
Updated: 2015-11-18
Packaged: 2018-05-02 06:03:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5237105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luvsanime02/pseuds/luvsanime02
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An alternate (gen) rewrite of The Thaw. Eren's settling back in, and he and Mikasa talk.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Thaw (Alternate)

**Author's Note:**

> As I say in the notes for Melting (the alternate version), I completely rewrote the ending of Delete Winter by taking out the Mikaereri. I only wrote the ship as a request from a friend, but after discussing with someone else the way this series could have ended, this alternate version wouldn't leave my mind. So, here's a gen version of The Thaw.

**Disclaimer:** I don’t own Shingeki no Kyojin. That honor belongs to Isayama-sensei. Likewise, George RR Martin owns all rights to his series, _A Song of Ice and Fire_. I’m making no profit off of this fic.

########

 **The Thaw (Alternate)** by luvsanime02

########

Eren was thrilled to be back. He’d missed Mikasa and Levi, even though they’d come to visit him as often as possible. Still, even Eren could admit that he’d needed the time away. In the clinic, there had been no one depending on Eren not to screw up, caring eyes watching his every move, just waiting for his next mistake.

That wasn’t fair of him, he knew. Eren loved Mikasa more than anything, and was even fond of Levi, and neither of them expected him to be perfect. It’s just that sometimes Eren felt like if he wasn’t perfect for them, then eventually they would get tired of him hanging around.

Which was also stupid. Mikasa had told him so repeatedly. And Levi had shown Eren ways that he could be useful around the apartment, demonstrating in his own way that Eren was wanted. Before, Eren wasn’t sure if he’d believed that. Not deep down, where it mattered. Mikasa was so strong; how could she really need him anymore, now that she was somewhere safe? And yes, Levi was patient with him, but that didn’t mean Eren wasn’t constantly turning the man’s life upside down and causing him lots of stress.

It had taken him awhile, and it wasn’t until recently that it really sunk in for Eren that, no matter how many times he screwed up, Mikasa would still look up to him, and Levi would still help him get back onto his feet.

Their support meant everything to him, and Eren could only repay them by promising that he was done making the same mistakes. He was determined to do better this time, for both of them as well as for himself.

Mikasa walked out into the living room, interrupting Eren’s thoughts, and stopped. “What are you doing?” she asked.

Eren looked down at the floor a little guiltily. A small bundle of black fur with green eyes was staring back up at him imploringly, waiting for his hand to start dragging the shoestring back along the floor once again.

He looked back up at Mikasa, who was clearly waiting for an explanation, but Eren could see the amusement in her eyes. He was so busted.

“She looked bored,” he said, knowing it was a feeble defense.

Mikasa shook her head at him, her expression fond. “You’re teaching her bad habits,” she admonished, though her tone didn’t hold any sharpness. “She has toys for a reason.”

Eren shrugged, and dragged the lace across the floor, watching in amusement as the kitten pounced eagerly. “She didn’t want any of them.” It was true. He’d tried gently tossing two balls with bells in them towards her, and dragging one mouse toy in front of her, but she hadn’t budged until he’d moved one of his feet and she’d started chewing his shoe.

“You’re spoiling her rotten,” Mikasa added, though she sat down next to him and held out one hand for the string. Eren handed it over happily, and Carla gladly switched playmates, chasing after the string and gnawing on the end. He still wasn’t too sure about the name, but it was slowly growing on him, mostly because his mother probably would have thought the kitten was adorable.

Eren sat back and relaxed, enjoying the quiet moment. Just then, his eyes caught a glimpse of the book in Mikasa’s other hand. It was the latest volume of _A Song of Ice and Fire_ , he saw, feeling a little smug. Armin had recommended the series to him, and once Eren had started reading them, he’d been hooked. Now that he’d worn down Mikasa into reading them too, he could work on Levi, and then when he went on a rant about one of the characters he’d have two fellow sufferers in the apartment.

Mikasa caught his look, and sighed. “I got bored,” she admitted. She focused intently on dangling the string for Carla. “Besides, I thought it would be something simple for us to talk about together.”

Like anything in that series was simple. But Eren knew what Mikasa meant, and he swallowed down the sudden lump in his throat. They’d never really done that, he knew, just talked for hours about mundane things like TV shows or books, or anything. In a weird way, they’d always been so close that idle chitchat wasn’t necessary in order for them to understand each other. On the other hand, the fact that they’d never really felt comfortable enough to share silly conversations with each other before meant that, somewhere along the line, they’d stopped confiding in each other about the important stuff too.

It was something they’d both promised to try and fix, that weird space between them that was filled with silence. Eren and Mikasa were precious to each other, but sometimes it was almost like they were strangers who had been forced to survive out in the extreme wilderness together. Only, now they were somewhere safe, and they needed to learn how to actually talk with each other.

Eren smiled at Mikasa, and watched her shoulders loosen up when she caught his expression out of the corner of her eye. “I can’t wait until you finish that book,” he said. “There are so many characters I want to yell about, but if I start now I won’t stop until I’ve ruined the rest of the book for you.”

Mikasa turned to look at him fully again, smiling softly. “There’s a few I already want to die before the series ends,” she admitted, and Eren laughed. He wasn’t surprised.

“Okay, any characters you really want to live, though?”

When Levi got home half an hour later, he found them arguing over who their favorite character was, and why. Carla was now curled up in Eren’s lap, listening to both of them being stubborn over who was more awesome, Arya Stark or Daenerys Targaryen. He listened to their argument for only a few seconds before he shook his head and muttered something about a shower before dinner.

“We have to convince Levi to read them too,” Eren said urgently, after the man had left the room. Before Mikasa could agree, Levi’s voice called out to them from down the hallway. “Jon Snow’s more interesting, by the way.”

Mikasa’s wide eyes reflected Eren’s own surprise, and both of them started laughing.


End file.
